Abstract: A new compact 5-bit digital delay line is designed and fabricated. In this design, small time delay units are realized with right-handed transmission lines, and large delay units are designed with left-handed transmission lines. This method can avoid the disadvantages of big dimensions and losses which appear in large time delay units realized with right-handed transmission lines. This delay line operates at 9GHz~10GHz, provides 100ps up to 3100ps time delay with an interval of 100ps. The dimension of whole delay line is 10mm×20mm×0.5mm, and the insert losses are less than 6.2dB.

Key words: 5-bit delay line, left-handed transmission line, right-handed transmission line, SPDT switch